


Ordinary Zarry

by JustR



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-13
Updated: 2014-09-14
Packaged: 2018-02-17 06:40:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2300117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustR/pseuds/JustR
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Join Zayn and Harry in their daily lives as a married couple, along with their daughter Zoe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ: This story will literally be a collection of random things happening (like one shots). The only difference (I guess) is that they revolve around the same people, in the same situation. This means it could be incredibly boring, depending on what you're really interested in. But then again, I mainly started this as a way to hopefully get rid of writer's block and whatnot (this also means slow/no updates. Sorry!). 
> 
> Suggestions are also very welcome!
> 
> Please enjoy?
> 
> xxx <3

There’s a family somewhere in London, and at first sight they seem ordinary - which is exactly what they are. You’ve got your couple, hopelessly in love and still trying to find their way in this big world. There’s Harry: health enthusiast and stay-at-home dad. His other half is Zayn, who’s an architect and could probably use a day off. Together they’ve got a 6-year-old daughter named Zoe, adopted after she stole their hearts even when she was only a few weeks old.

 

On Sunday mornings, Harry gets up early to teach his yoga class while Zayn gets some extra shut-eye after a week of hard work at the office. Wednesdays are for take-out and once every month Zayn and Harry go out on a date night while one of their friends watches Zoe. Who are their friends, you wonder? Well, there’s Niall: Irish, single dad and occasional pub performer. Louis, who’s married and busy trying to keep his twins in check, and lastly there’s Liam: local hero and fire-fighter, currently unattached. They’ve been the same mismatched bunch ever since they met in high school, but over time they have become a family.

 

So… join them in their blissfully uneventful lives.


	2. What Aisle?

It’s late and Zayn is still not home, his work keeping him away and now this maze. Or, well, it’s a grocery store. But he can’t possibly find his way and his annoyance is growing, even if there isn’t anyone around accidentally stepping on his feet. Usually Harry does the shopping while Zayn’s at work, but he forgot to bring the milk. You would say milk is easy to find, but Harry asked for a specific brand of soy milk which is apparently nowhere near the ordinary milk. Zayn loves his husband dearly but it still amazes him how much he puts up with. But then again, Harry’s always been into funny stuff.

 

After a while he puffs out a lungful of air and decides to ring Harry, because even if he found the right aisle he might get the wrong kind and that would just be a waste of time. It rings a few times before there’s a gruff reply:

 

‘’Yea?’’

 

‘’Babe, I can’t find it,’’ Zayn says, scanning another row of products as he passes through an aisle.

 

‘’It’s in aisle 7,’’ Harry sighs, followed by rustling sounds in the background.

 

‘’Did I wake you?’’ Zayn walks out of the aisle, cranes his neck to see if he can find the right number.

 

‘’Sort of, I passed out on the couch.’’ Zayn bites his lip at this response, rubs his own eyes sleepily while he increases his pace, eyes on the sign that says ‘7’.

 

‘’I’m sorry, Haz. Just wanted to make sure I got the right one,’’ he apologises and almost leaps up in joy when he sees the familiar carton.

 

‘’I know, I know. Think you’ll be home soon?’’ There’s something desperate in his voice and Zayn feels the same rush, that urge to reach out and touch Harry, any part of him, after such a long day at the office. 

 

‘’Yea, should be. Found the stupid thing. How’s Zoe?’’ Zayn rushes to the checkout, phone wedged between his head and shoulder while he pulls some cash out of his wallet.

 

‘’Sleeping like the angel she is.’’ He can hear the smile in Harry’s voice and his own lips turn up at the thought of their daughter tucked away in her castle bed, sleeping peacefully. There’s a short pause in their conversation as he pays for the milk and wishes the cashier a good night before finally escaping the maze, the plastic bag occasionally bumping against his leg.

 

‘’You know you don’t _have_ to wait up for me, babe,’’ Zayn starts, fumbling for his car keys in the dark parking lot.

 

‘’I know, Zayn. But I wanted some late night cuddles with my husband,’’ Harry says, voice now hushed.

 

‘’You in bed already?’’ He asks, opening his car door and putting his messenger bag along with the milk in the passenger seat.

 

‘’Yep, thought I’d warm it up a little. And hurry up, okay?’’ Harry whines on the other side of the line, making Zayn chuckle and roll his eyes while he sits down and fastens his seatbelt.

 

‘’I’m in the car now, don’t worry. See you in a bit,’’ Zayn finishes, starting the car.

 

When he’s about to drive away after pulling out of his spot, he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket with a message from Harry:

 

**Hurry!! :)** ** <3 **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First drabble! Like I said, things might get pretty random.. ^^


	3. Home

If Harry finds _one more_ spot, there will be hell to pay. He’s been cleaning all day, even got on his knees to scrub the kitchen floor, because his mum is coming over and he’s always tried to make a point, to let her know that they’re _fine_ and don’t need help. He knows how to run a family.

 

It’s a Saturday and he’s told Zayn to stay on the couch and _don’t_ move until he put on clean socks. Keeping Zoe in check has been more difficult, but she’s currently up in her room playing with her dolls. He sweeps a few curls from his face, eyeing the area around him. The pink rubber gloves he’s wearing squeak a little when he rubs at something on the counter, sighing when he sees the glass stain. Zayn always leaves them on the counter, never bothers to actually put them in the dishwasher and in that moment he just feels _tired_. He sits down at the kitchen table, nearly tears the gloves when he pulls them off his hands and throws them on the table. He’s just trying to keep things neat but it always feels like they are purposefully trying to make things difficult around here.

 

Harry rubs his tired eyes, breathes into his hands and looks up at the ceiling, blinking at the light. Suddenly he’s laughing at himself, because he’s been cleaning all day but suddenly a _glass stain_ is just too much? He can’t stop laughing, there’s a funny feeling in his chest and his eyes start to sting with hot tears and before he knows it he’s in full hysterics. He barely registers the sound of approaching feet and discovers his eyes were closed when suddenly Zayn’s in front of him, telling him to look at him.

 

‘’Babe, what’s wrong? Tell me,’’ Zayn urges, his eyes wide and hands delicately touching Harry’s face. There’s something grounding about his touch and he can already feel his heart rate slowing, but there’s still that choking feeling. There’s no other way to describe it.

 

‘’I- the house has to be perfect, but I _can’t_ -‘’

 

‘’Hey! No, listen to me. It’s fine. You’re an amazing parent and husband. You take such good care of us,’’ Zayn insists and starts to pepper Harry’s face with kisses, smiling against his skin when Harry tries to push him away. He pretends to be bothered by it but in all honesty, Harry feels a lot better. All he needed was some support and even though he doesn’t necessarily get it when it comes to housework, Zayn is always there for him. He always comforts him and reminds Harry of how amazing he is.

 

‘’Thank you,’’ Harry breathes, feeling a little lighter. He waits until Zayn’s done brushing away his tears before he engulfs him in a hug, breathing in his scent and rubbing his cheek against his soft hair. It’s a little awkward because Zayn’s on his knees while Harry is still sitting on a chair, but it’s comforting and feels like _home_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when I procrastinate.
> 
> Oh, and thank you for the kudos!
> 
> xxx <3


	4. Princesses and Braids

This is Zayn’s favourite time of the day: coming home. It’s Thursday, 7.30 pm and he’s just parked his car in front of their humble little house. It doesn’t quite have a white picket fence, but it’s close to that. He can already hear the commotion inside when he pushes his key inside the lock of the dark brown wooden door, the sound of skidding feet reaching his ears once he pushes it open. He only has time to close it and put down his bag when Zoe comes racing towards him, trying not to fall as she reaches out with her arms. Zayn bends down and scoops her up in his arms as soon as she collides with him, breath being knocked out of her with a _whoosh_. He tries not to flinch when she yells ‘’Daddy!’’ in his ear, firmly gripping him around his neck.

 

Just when he starts to wonder where his husband went, Harry comes shuffling around the corner, face red and hair a collection of sagging ponytails and sloppy braids. There’s a green streak on his face – probably crayon. Strangely, it makes Zayn’s heart clench and he steps forward so he can meet Harry halfway, capturing his mouth in a sweet kiss. That’s when Zoe unlatches herself from Zayn, shoving her hand between their faces, nearly poking Zayn in the eye.

 

‘’Eww!’’ she shrieks, and lets herself hang dangerously from his arms, a sign that she wants to be put on the ground. Zayn carefully places her down and watches with a smile as she runs back into the living room, giving him a good view of her very crooked braid.

 

‘’Had fun doing each other’s hair, I see,’’ he teases, grinning when Harry pouts and obviously tries not to cross his arms like a child. Sometimes Zayn feels like the only adult in the house, but he likes kids so it doesn’t really bother him. He stalks after Harry as he babbles away about their day; their little one spent part of it at school, while he noticed an interesting development in their nearest supermarket.

 

‘’You can scan the items yourself! There’s even a holder for it on the cart. Some people have complained about it, but I like it,’’ Harry drawls on, taking the crayons from their coffee table and putting them back in the box. Zayn manages to nod and hum in the right places, but he’s actually kind of zoned out. Making faces at Zoe, who’s currently sprawled on the couch, causing her to giggle.

 

‘’You’re not even listening, are you?’’ Harry butts in, his eyebrow quirked up.

 

‘’Oh no, I am.’’ Zayn tries but fails miserably to be convincing.

 

‘’I asked if I should cut all my hair off, and you just nodded,’’ his husband grins, grabbing a finished drawing from the coffee table and walking off to the kitchen, presumably to hang it on the fridge.

 

‘’Okay, you’re right! I wasn’t listening. Please don’t cut all your hair off,’’ Zayn calls, sitting down on the couch after moving Zoe’s feet out of the way. She immediately scrambles into his lap, resting her head against his shoulder. Harry walks back into the room then, smiling fondly at the display. That’s one thing Zayn loves about their relationship; he’s not kept on his toes. He can completely and utterly be himself, which includes sometimes needing to be scolded for not paying attention, but he knows Harry doesn’t mind. They both know he doesn’t mean to, he just gets distracted from time to time.

 

‘’Daddy, will you braid my hair?’’ Zoe asks sweetly, tugging at his shirt. Zayn doesn’t need to look at Harry to know that he’s pouting. Truth is that Zayn’s always been better at doing their daughter’s hair, and they both know it.

 

‘’Of course, love.’’ He moves her so that she’s sitting on his lap, back turned to him. There’s something strangely therapeutic about doing hair, he has to admit. While he undoes the sloppy braid, the couch dips next to him under Harry’s weight and Zayn hopes he’s watching and taking notes. But then again he doesn’t, because he likes this thing they have. Enjoys that despite everything their daughter still comes to him, asking him to do her hair. It’s silly, but as he’s carefully picking strand after strand, adding it to the braid, he feels happy and at peace.

 

As he’s tying up the braid, he hears Harry hum next to him, sounding a little surprised. This time he actually managed a fishtail, which he did absolutely _not_ research. There was no internet surfing and video watching involved.

 

‘’Where’d you learn that?’’ Harry asks when Zoe rushes off Zayn’s lap to the bathroom – probably to inspect his handiwork. He just shrugs and looks at his husband smugly, laughing when he rolls his eyes and rests his head on his shoulder. Zayn wraps his arm around Harry, running his hand through his curls and carefully taking out the hair ties. Their quiet moment is interrupted by Zoe running back inside, bounding on the couch and sprawling herself across their laps.

 

‘’Daddyy! Will you do papa’s hair too, please? That way we can match!’’ she says excitedly, reaching up with her hands to grab at Harry’s hair, making him scrunch up his nose. Perhaps she’s stronger than she realises.

 

‘’I don’t know, sweetheart. Don’t you think he looks more handsome like this?’’ Zayn twirls a curl around his finger, smiling when his husband blushes. Still, after all these years, he gets embarrassed by simple compliments.

 

‘’No! Princesses should have braids,’’ she protests, pouting in very much the same way that Harry does. Even though she’s adopted, there’s a scary resemblance. There’s no doubt she absolutely belongs here.

 

‘’I’m not a p-‘’

 

‘’You’re right, sweets. Princesses should have braids! And pretty accessories. Why don’t you go and get those?’’ Zayn interrupts Harry, kissing him on the temple when Zoe bounces off again with a happy shriek. He’s in the best of moods right now, all earlier tiredness gone and replaced with an airy feeling of happiness and love. Nothing could possibly spoil his evening. Not even Harry muttering stubbornly under his breath.

 

‘’I’m _not_ a princess.’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So those were a quick few updates, but I'm afraid it'll take longer from now on. Unless I start procrastinating again. Which is always the case... damnit.


End file.
